Comminutor or cutter



Nov- 7, 1933. E. l.. BEEK'MAN 1,933,961

COMMINUTOR OR CUTTER Filed Jan. 28, 1932 (Ittornegs.

Patented Nov. 7, 1933 1,933,961 ooMMINU'oR 0R CUTTER Edwin L. Beekman, Middletown, N. J. Application January 28, 1932. Serial No. 589,508

6 Claims.

This invention relates to comminutors or cutters for apples or like fruits or vegetables and more particularly to improvements in devices of this character which are more especially useful for reducing apples to small particles forming a mass or cake which subsequently may be subjected to pressure by any suitable means in order to express the juice.

It is usual to reduce apples to a finely comminutive state before the pressing operation is performed since the amount of juiceprocured from an apple is largely dependent upon the thoroughness of the preliminary comminuting. It is common practice to perform this preliminary comminution by means of rotary cutters or spreaders of various descriptions. A disadvantage usually present in devices of this character heretofore known is the danger of the operators hand being injured by the rotating cutting element.

An object of the present invention is to provide an efficient comminuting device in which the arrangement of parts is such that the danger of the operators being injured is eliminated or reduced to a minimum.

Among the other objects of the invention is to provide a device of the character described of simple construction and which may be taken apart easily for cleaning purposes and the cutting edges or knives of which are self-sharpening.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a comminuting device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation of outer and inner conical members comprising the cutting elements of my improved device; and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view showing two conical members in contacting relation.

The device comprising the present invention may be mounted advantageously on top of a cider press or the like provided with means adapted to receive the comminuted fruit or vegetable particles discharged, but since such press constitutes no part of the present invention, an illustrative embodiment generally designated A is shown as being mounted upon a base B, such as a table top or the like.

5 The comminuting device A shown in the draw- (Cl. B16-166) ing includes a pair of cooperating conical members comprising an outer conical member 1 and an inner conical member 2. The outer member 1 is provided at its apex with a hollow sleeve bearing 3 extending axially of the member 1, 60 the sleeve bearing 3 being externally threaded as at 4 for connection with the internally threaded end portion 5 of a horizontally disposed hollow shaft 6 journalled in a b aring bracket 7 secured tothe base B.

Any suitable means may be provided forrotating the outer conical member 1 and for the purposes of illustration I have shown an electric motor 8 connected by means of a .belt 9 to a pulley 10 secured to the hollow shaft 6.

In accordance with the invention means are provided for mounting the outer conical member 1 and the inner conical member 2 in coaxial relation and for both relative rotary and sliding movements. To this end the inner member 2 is 775- provided with an axial stem 11 which extends from the apex of the inner member and which has a long uninterrupted bearing surface adapted to lit slidably and relatively rotatably inthe bearing sleeve 3 of the outer member Il. In operation 80v of my device it is desirable that the inner conical member be held againstrotation and forthis reason I preferably extend the stem 11 through the base end of the inner conical member and provide this extended part of the stem with a handle 12 which is securely xed to the stem, a web 13 extending inwardly from the inner sides of the inner conical member for connection with the rearwardly extending part of the stem 11 serving to provide a rigid assembly of the stem ?y and inner conical member.

The end of the stem 11 which is adapted to be inserted in the bearing sleeve 3 is preferably pointed as at 14 in order that the stem more effectively may pierce an apple to be cut or com- 9,5 minuted. In operation the apple is pierced and positioned on the stem in contact with the apex end of the inner conical member as illustrated in Figure 1. The stem l1 is then inserted in the bearing sleeve 3 of the outer conical member and 100 by means of the handle 12 the inner conical member is then moved inwardly axially of the'outer member and the apple pressed against the inner surface of the rotating outer conical member 1. In order effectively to reduce the apple to small particles the conical members are'provided with cooperating cutting means. An important feature of the invention is the provision in the rotary outer conical member of a plurality of staggered elongated depressed portions. 15, each of which may preferably be curved as shown in Figures 3 and 4. These depressed portions are adapted to cooperate with a plurality of staggered raised knife edges 16 bounding cut-out portions of the inner conical member 2 to cut and reduce to small particles a piece oi fruit ground between the conical members. As will be clear from an inspection of Figure 3 of the drawing the knife edges are curved in a direction oppositely to the curvature of` the depressions in the outer conical member, that is the depressions in the outer conical member and the knife edges on the inner member are reversely curvedso that when thel two members are brought into actual contact as shown in Figure 4 there will be a wiping or honing action on the knife edges which maintains the latter sharp.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the outer nber 1 is i'ne only rotating part of,

my device. In operation the operator holds the inner conical member against rotary movements by means of the handle 12 and exerts sulicient pressure inwardly to cause thel -fruit to be cut between the conical members. The inner member and stem l1 are then completely Withdrawn and another piece of fruit placed upon the stein-11 preparatory to being out. It is clear that since the only knife elements, namely the knife edges 16, are carried by the Vnon-rotary conical member 2, the danger or" the operators hand being out is eliminated. The rotary outer conical member 1 contains no sharp edges which would be likely to cause injury even if the operators persons accidentally should come in contact with the member 1. Other advantages of my device are its extreme simplicity and the ease with which it may be cleaned.

Although the particular device illustrated and described considered ,to embody the invention in a practical form it will be understood that variousV changes may be made in the construction and reiaive arrangement ofthe parts with out departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device Vof the character described, the

combination of'a rotatably driven outer conical member, an axial bearing at the apex of said member, an inner cooperating conical member, and an axial stem fixed to said inner member and extending from the apex thereof and tting slidably in said bearing.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of an outer conical member provided at its apex with an axially disposed bearing, means outside of said member connected to said bearing for supporting and rotating said member, an inner cooperating conical member, and an axial stem vfixed to said inner member and extending from the apex thereof and tting slidably in said bearing.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotatably driven outer conical member, an axial bearing at the apex of said member, an inner cooperating conical member, and an axial stem xed to said inner member and extending from the apex thereof and being adapted to be removably supported in said bearing. Y l

4. Ina device of the character described, the combination of a rotatably driven outer conical member, acooperating inner conical member, means mounting said member in coaxial relation and providing for relative axialmovement therebetween, an elongated depression in the inner suriace'of the outer member, and a cooperating knife edge onsaid inner member.v

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotatably driven outer conical member, a cooperating inner conical member, means mounting said members in coaxial rela-- tion and providing for relative axial movement therebetween., a curved depression in the inner surface of the outer member, and a reversely curved cooperating knife edge on said inner member.

f5. In a device oi the character described, the

combination of a rotatably driven outer conical 

